I have been reading many messages from Alamo California that explain that Alamo is little more than a ZIP code. Does Alamo really exist?

Yahoo maps show Alamo California as a small area connected to a major city, Walnut Creek California. Is Alamo becoming neighborhoods in Walnut Creek?

Carter Dobbs”

ALAMO answers:

“Dear Carter and neighbors,

Alamo California is not a community where the majority of residents are active in community interests. Alamo is a collection of small neighborhoods that are their own community and culture. Among the younger majority, Walnut Creek is considered downtown and primary shopping and entertainment destination. Among the older, long-term residents, as a small minority in Alamo, Danville California is considered their downtown and cultural connection.

Walnut Creek is urban luxury with a large shopping area, Broadway Plaza, and excellent restaurants and entertainment. Danville remains under-developed as a retail and entertainment center and is surrounded by a sprawl of homes built in the last 10-15 years. Walnut Creek is an elegant part of the San Francisco Bay Area and Danville is Los Angelized sprawl without context in our Bay Area.

In general, leadership creates community and Alamo has none. The various community groups communicate with less that 700 of the 5400+ residences in Alamo. The county agencies and community council in Alamo have only a handful of participants and no major role in building a community among the majority of residents.

Thus, it is appropriate to say Alamo California does not exist as a community and is simply a ZIP code for a collection of neighborhoods."

Posted with permission of the authors

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Posted by Carise Waters
a resident of another community
on Jan 13, 2008 at 7:12 pm

Dear Neighbors,

Our community of Alamo Georgia has worked very hard to be inclusive of all neighbors. No matter circumstances, race, religion, or political point of view, we work together to keep our city vibrant and in service to all residents of our community. A community is the product of its people and not any one group's special interests.

If Alamo California is separated into small enclaves without a community spirit, we can illustrate congeniality and togetherness as a model to copy. Move forward in all communities to find a way forward together.

And finally, do not let any group serve foreign masters. Your community will become nothing you would support and nothing that would invite you to stay.

Posted by Vince Kreigher
a resident of another community
on Jan 14, 2008 at 7:45 am

Dear Neighbors,

I am delighted to read Carise's sense of community. Most typically, California cities and towns do not have such cohesive consensus among their residents. Californians are not given to being part of a community and place their emphasis on lifestyle and personal points of view. Alamo California is not an exception and is a very good example of such lifestyle override of community and even neighborhood concerns.

Does Alamo exist beyond being a ZIP Code? Most residents do not see their lives within the boundaries of Alamo or defined by where they live. So one could conclude that each residence is independent of all others and defined by a mailbox in the 94507 ZIP Code.

A community is not a destination defined by a ZIP code. A community is the willing spirit of the residents of a city, town or region to be together in planning their current and future needs and interests. A community is leadership that works to the needs and desires of community residents.

A ZIP code never defines a community. The people do!

Cassy Taylor
Alamo Tennessee

Alamo is a town in Crockett County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,392 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Crockett County

Posted from All things Alamo & Pop(u)lar e-chain with the permission of the author

Here in our diverse, small community of Poplar California, the efforts to define our community are cultural, due to our majority of Hispanics, and commercial, due to our agricultural economy. Our people work together to serve our community's economic future because it is a necessity.

There are many ways to define community including people living with a common need to prosper together.

Allen Hidais

Poplar (Cotton Center) California, aka Alamo, Tulare County CA.

Posted with the permission of the author from All things Alamo
& Pop(u)lar e-chains

Posted by Karen Gentry
a resident of Danville
on Jan 14, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Hello Neighbors,

I read the response to Carter with great interest in Danville California. After reviewing the Alamo Answer, I assumed that Danville was something less than what I discovered on the web. Certainly, our Danville's have much in common as we are both revitalizing our downtowns and engaging our residents in creating a stronger, more paticipatory community. For our Danville, the effort has been proactive by our revitalization organizations' outreach into the community of neighborhoods. The reward has been more engagement of neighborhoods in the design and services of our downtown, government, and recreational, arts and entertainment activities.

Outreach creates communities,

Karen Gentry
Danville Virginia

Posted with permission of the author by All things Alamo & Pop(u)lar e-chains

Posted by Hal Bailey
a resident of another community
on Jan 14, 2008 at 5:35 pm

Dear Neighbors,

Your commentary reflects our subject of "What creates and defines a community." We agreed that economic, social, and lifestyle needs and interests are the driving force of community relations and outreach by residents and leadership alike create and define a community.

What hasn't been discussed is how political influence affects and impacts community consensus and trust. Sharon, in Alamo California, suggested that a community cannot exist under threat of political influence. David, in Poplar Wisconsin, noted that such threat of political influence should establish a strong community in defense of all residents.

I think this discussion is populated by Internet Trolls. An Internet troll is someone who posts controversial messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response.For a scholarly discussion of this phenomenon refer to the Wikipedia entry on such critters:

The question arises however, "I am one, too?" Ron said with his grizzled chin and chiseled grin. But the response ringing down the communication wires is, "No, you are not a Troll. You are not feeding the Troll but exposing it for what it is.

Posted by Oxymo Ron
a resident of another community
on Jan 14, 2008 at 10:30 pm

Dear Ron and neighbors,

In any enlightened discussion, there is no baiting and only earnest discussion. In the postings selected are the scope of discussions and not their limitation. So, Ron and all neighbors, tell the forum readers your definition of community and how it is created. We will celebrate diversity of consideration and personal point of view.

After all, as one unpublished commentary noted, we are only personal observers of our surroundings and circumstances.

All thoughts are welcome and none are judged by All things Alamo & Pop(u)lar.

Posted by Lisa Wright
a resident of another community
on Jan 15, 2008 at 8:24 am

Posted by request of the author

Not so fast, Hal,

Does Alamo California really exist? The answer is no.

Alamo is an inconvenient obstruction between Walnut Creek and Danville California that constricts traffic. It is too valuable a taxable asset to remove and too factional to organize for any resolution.

Alamo is a collection of neighborhods with most neighbors focused on their own self-interests. Depending on what you consider Alamo California, we are 6000 to 9000 mailboxes in 94507 and other Zip Codes and little else.

Thus, If I were symbolizing Alamo California, my postcard would have picture after picture of mailboxes.

You say that "In any enlightened discussion, there is no baiting." I'm sure glad to hear that because the following selection of comments from various sources in this forum topic must be unenlightened discussion:

"...not a community where the majority of residents are active in community interests"
"...leadership creates community and Alamo has none"
"...Alamo California does not exist as a community and is simply a ZIP code"
"...Does Alamo California really exist? The answer is no."
"...Alamo is an inconvenient obstruction between Walnut Creek and Danville"
"...Thus, If I were symbolizing Alamo California, my postcard would have picture after picture of mailboxes"

Posted by Karen Taylor
a resident of another community
on Jan 15, 2008 at 7:02 pm

Posted by permission of the author

Dear neighbors,

Alamo California does exist with vitality drawn from its neighborhoods. The diversity of neighborhood interests does not overcome our neighborhoods working together, with consensus, to create community for our residents. Community groups, quite rightly, are a small part of our strength as a community. We join together as neighbors to create appropriate organizations for our children, ourselves and our senior neighbors.

We are a community that is connected in unique ways that does not include any central leadership. We focus on results at each level of community needs and create ways to serve success in those activities.

We are not sophisticated in our organization and we are not naive in our efforts. We only want enough structure to achieve benefit for the activities of our residents, neighborhoods and community.

Posted by Alamo Granny
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 25, 2008 at 10:18 am

There is a project slated for Ridgewood Rd that violates at least five county ordinances and ignores other county requirements that the county seems absolutely intent on approving. It will likely be greater than 35’ from the bottom to the top of the roof, but we will never know because the county has not required an elevation from the applicant.

This project (post edited by Danville Weekly staff) is proposing a 5700 square foot house on a lot that has greater than 29% slope and is surrounded by, so far, unblemished oak ridgeland. Neighboring houses are no larger than 3600 sq ft. The average house is approximately 2000 sq ft.

The project puts neighboring houses at great risk for mudslides. The concerns of the neighbors have been ignored. We feel that we are sitting on a train track, bound, and waiting for the train to run us over.

Make no mistake, this could happen to you if you live in Alamo. It can happen in any neighborhood because the available land is either on the skyline or on the ridgeline.

Our local planning organization who works hard to preserve our quality of life and preserve it for the future have been unable to stop 257 outsize houses that have been constructed against their recommendations.

An appeal to our Supervisor, Mary Piepho was blown off. Issues surrounding the legitimacy of the process and the lack of public hearing were dismissed as merely issues to be considered in approving or denying the project.

We have no regional planning organization that is effectively looking after our interests. We will all suffer for this. It is time to have more care exercised on projects that have such a high impact and risk to the community.

Posted by Concerned Alamo resident.
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 29, 2008 at 10:56 pm

Dear Alamo Granny. You need to mind your own business. If you don’t like your neighbors, might I suggest that you move? I do know which project you are talking about and we/others in the neighborhood are delighted to have a house like this built in Alamo. How you ever considered moving to another part of town?

That is very cowardly of “Granny” to post a thing like this here without identifying herself. The fact that she is “Granny” should tell you something. I met the owner once as i drove past his lot. He actually purchased that lot last year. The problem is not with the owner but his next door neighbor. I think it is time for Granny to move to Florida and leave people alone. Maybe she will prefer hurricanes to mudslides. Welcome to the neighborhood.

Posted by Robin Hood
a resident of another community
on Jan 31, 2008 at 1:23 pm

Here is an update:

The people whom are making these postings are (post edited by Danville Weekly staff). They have had issues with neighbors before. I am one of them.

Yes, she is a granny thus the name Granny Alamo. She wears the pants around the house. Poor Fred has to follow her directions. The guy doesn’t want to get involved in this dispute, yet he has to follow the wife’s directions. I heard how they tried to buy this vacant lot that they are so opposed to.

They tried to buy it for literary next to nothing. (Pennies on the dollar). Obviously the previous owner rejected it.

Now they are all pissed and are giving this new home owner a hard time.

Posted by Hal Bailey
a resident of another community
on Jan 31, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Dear neighbors,

This forum chain started with a question from Poplar Branch NC. Through the exchange here on the Town Square Forum and among the e-chains of All things Alamo & Pop(u)lar, we concluded that Alamo California is a collection of neighborhoods and not a community. AS the commentary moved to actual issues within Alamo California neighborhoods, the question became do neighborhoods exist? The responses from a few neighbors would suggest that some areas of Alamo are not neighborhoods.

We are left with a question for further discussion, "Is Alamo CA only a ZIP code and a collection of mail boxes?" as several neighbors have suggested. It would appear that Alamo is seen by some as individual residences and not neighborhoods or a community.

With all due respect, Alamo is full of people with hatred. They want their own space and want no one near them. Although they are not racist, they do not like anyone other then white people living in their city. I am sorry to have to put it that way.

Posted by Oxymo Ron
a resident of another community
on Feb 1, 2008 at 7:24 am

Dear R.S.

Alamo is full of individuals with indifference toward neighbors that are not part of their factional cultures. In the silence of the Alamo Region are neighborhoods, as a majority of residents, gathering as neighbors in private, neighbor-to-neighbor communication and providing a welcoming voice to the majority of our community and alliance with communities and neighborhoods throughout Contra Costa.

Unfortunately, our Alamo Region is judged by the actions of community groups that are an extremely small minority that wish to define a community to their own cultural preferences and prejudices. That is indifference and not hatred. It is cultural prejudice and not a matter of race or greed.